Painting PC Monitor

[TomJBart]

G'Day all,

What is the best way to get a nice mat finish on the plastic surrounding a PC monitor.  Can I just use a can of black spray paint, or is it going to be more complex (=more costly) then that.  The people at the hardware stores I go to look at me very strangely when I tell them that I want to paint my PC monitor.... not sure why  

Also what type of material are people using to fill the gap between the outside of the monitor and the edge of the cab.  I'm using a 19" monitor, but the cab is significantly larger then that.  Ply-wood, cardboard ?

Any suggestions.  

Cheers !!!

[Ted_Striker]

plain old spray paint works fine.  just make sure to tape off the monitor glass and the vent holes on the back.  you don't want paint getting in the vents and getting on the electronics.  really you only need to paint the front.  as for covering the excess area.. just buy a happs bezel.  they look great and can be cut to size easily... and the look great ...

[eightbit]

I painted just the part of my monitor that was going to show. I couldn't get the front peice of the monitor complety off but I did get it loose so that I could put tape under the monitor front so that none would get on the tube. I just used flat black spray paint. Temporarily I 've got a peice of black posterboard under the glass to fill the  border area but I'm planning to step up to a 25" tv and with that I'm planning to use the origanel bezel that I got with it. The guy I got the cab from had a 25" tv in it and it fit perfect and looked arcade athentic.

[Chris]

I didn't know about the Happs bezels... I very carefully cut one out of posterboard.  The inner part of the bezel is four pieces of black posterboard cut to match the curve of the monitor; this is attached to foamcore board, with another layer of black posterboard over that, and instruction cards on top of that.  Since my inner bezel covers the monitor plastic perfectly, I didn't have to paint the monitor.

It was a pain in the butt, though; in retrospect I wish I had used a Happs bezel.

--Chris

[Rocky]

I very carefully cut one out of posterboard.  The inner part of the bezel is four pieces of black posterboard cut to match the curve of the monitor; this is attached to foamcore board, with another layer of black posterboard over that, and instruction cards on top of that.  

Chris,

Did you use any kind of protective coating on the posterboard or foam board to protect against drinks being spilled, etc.

I'm planning on using foamboard over smoked glass on top of my monitor and I'm not sure how it will hold up.  I've test painted the foam board, but I don't like the look.


Thanks,
Rocky

[Chris]

Did you use any kind of protective coating on the posterboard or foam board to protect against drinks being spilled, etc.

Drinks spilled up against the glass?  My glass is nearly vertical, so I can't imagine how liquid would get in there.  The foamcore board and posterboard are behind the glass, and well protected.

I'm planning on using foamboard over smoked glass on top of my monitor and I'm not sure how it will hold up.  I've test painted the foam board, but I don't like the look.

Wait... your foamboard will be on the outside of the machine?  No, it should be behind the glass, between the glass and the monitor.  You can buy foamboard that is already black so you don't have to paint it, but you'll have to do something about the exposed foam edges when you cut out the monitor hole...

--Chris

[TomJBart]

Q?  How far does the Happs Bezel extend ??  I'm using a 19" in a cabinet which is probably 3" or 4" larger on every side.  I would guess that a happs bezel would extend this far.
     

[SirPoonga]

You can checkout my cabinet.